Government Report Analyzes Sequestration’s Impact

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report on May 28 on the impacts of sequestration in 2013. The report looked at several agencies that provide funding to state and local governments and deliver services directly to individuals. The GAO found that many of these agencies reduced or delayed services to account for the across the board cuts. For example, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reported reducing the frequency of surveys to determine quality of care and compliance with federal standards at psychiatric hospitals from once every three years to once every four to five years and at specialized organ transplant centers from once every three years to once every four to six years,” according to the report. See the full report on the GAO website.